A Monrovia man who was part of an international drug money laundering organization has been sentenced to 70 months in federal prison for conspiring to move millions of dollars in proceeds for the Sinaloa cartel and other narcotics traffickers.

Harinder Singh, a.k.a. "Sonu," 34, was sentenced late Monday by United States District Judge Christina A. Snyder, who imposed the sentence after noting Singh's "escalating" involvement in the money laundering conspiracy.

Singh was sentenced after being found guilty by a jury last January of conspiracy to commit money laundering, conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business and operating an unlicensed money transmitted business.

Singh was the 17th defendant convicted as a result of a 2015 grand jury indictment that was the first major United States criminal case involving "hawala" transfers of drug money.

According to court documents, hawala is an international underground money remittance system based on trust between the participants. The hawala system originated on the Indian subcontinent and relies on long-established connections between brokers, who usually are located in different countries, but sometimes are in different cities in one nation. The trust and long-established connection between brokers typically are based on familial, ethnic, religious, regional and/or cultural grounds. Since traditional banking and financial systems are not involved in hawala, it operates without leaving a paper trail. Under the hawala system, only the value of the money is transferred, not the money itself.

In this case, drug traffickers used a traditional hawala network of brokers in the United States, Canada and India to secretly transfer millions of dollars of drug proceeds to the United States, where brokers such as Singh delivered the money to couriers acting on behalf of Canadian drug traffickers and Mexican drug cartels. Prosecutors said the conspiracy was responsible for transferring at least $4 million in drug proceeds.

The evidence presented at his two-week trial in United States District Court showed that Singh participated in a hawala conspiracy that moved money generated from drug sales in Canada to the United States. The money was used to pay for multi-kilogram drug purchases in Los Angeles, which was then routed to Canada for distribution.

California Highway Patrol officers discovered $274,980 in U.S. currency wrapped in black plastic when Singh was stopped in October 2012. During that traffic stop, Drug Enforcement Administration special agents conducted surveillance and observed Singh's wife exiting the couple's apartment complex carrying a bag, which was later found to contain $388,100 in U.S. currency. That cash also was rubber-banded in stacks and similarly wrapped in black plastic.

Prior to the traffic stop and the seizure at Singh's apartment complex in Monrovia, a federal wiretap intercepted Punjabi-language telephone calls indicating that Singh and co-conspirators communicated over multiple prepaid - or "burner" - telephones to arrange for the pick-up, transport and delivery of large amounts of U.S. currency - in amounts of up to $800,000 - across the Los Angeles area.

Soon after the October 2012 traffic stop, Singh met with law enforcement agents and admitted collecting large sums of bulk cash on a weekly basis and receiving approximately $300 for every $200,000 in shipments, according to court documents.

During the course of a four-year investigation by the DEA's L.A. Strike Force and IRS Criminal Investigation, authorities seized nearly $15.5 million in bulk U.S. currency, 321 kilograms of cocaine, 98 pounds of methamphetamine, 11 kilograms of MDMA and nine kilograms of heroin.

Other individuals convicted in this case include Singh's uncle, Sucha Singh, who received a 63-month sentence for his role as a hawala broker; Bradley John Martin, who similarly received a 63-month sentence for his role as a money courier; and Harmeet Singh, who received a 42-month sentence for his role as a hawala broker.

The investigation in this case was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and IRS Criminal Investigation. These agencies received assistance and support from the Santa Ana Police Department, the Beverly Hills Police Department and the Pomona Police Department.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carol Alexis Chen of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force.

Nikee (A466206) is a calm, mellow 7-year-old brindle Pit Bull mix. He’s always happy to see you with his tail wagging and enjoys long walks in the park where he can watch the squirrels. He walks nicely on a loose leash, enjoys singing with the fire engine sirens, and curls into you to be petted and gives kisses. He’s been at the Pasadena Humane Society for 2 months so we thought he might need to be wearing business professional attire to find the right home. What do you think?

The adoption fee for dogs is $130. All dogs are spayed or neutered, microchipped, and vaccinated before going to their new home.

New adopters will receive a complimentary health-and-wellness exam from VCA Animal Hospitals, as well as a goody bag filled with information about how to care for your pet.

To celebrate the season, horse-drawn wagon rides will be available in Old Town Monrovia on Thursday and Sunday evenings in December. $5 per person on first-come, first serve basis. Sponsored by the Monrovia Old Town Advisory Board.

Joanne Montgomery, vice president of the Citrus Community College District Board of Trustees, who represents Monrovia on the board, was recently awarded the Outstanding Educator Award at the 26th annual Monrovia Duarte Black Alumni Association Gala.

MDBAA President Larry Spicer said, "Educators such as Joanne Montgomery influenced thousands of people throughout Monrovia and Duarte,"

Montgomery taught in the Monrovia Unified School District and the Duarte Unified School District for 32 years.

She said, "I really cared about my students. I saw each one as a success and enjoyed providing extra tutoring time or whatever else they needed to achieve their goals. I am truly honored to have received this award from some of my former students, so many years later."

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 412 service events, resulting in 88 investigations.

VandalismNovember 15 at 7:39 a.m., a caller reported seeing new gang graffiti on the front of a school in the 100 block of W. Duarte. This investigation is continuing.

ShopliftingNovember 15 at 11:09 a.m., an employee of a store in the 500 block of W. Huntington reported a male subject had just left the store without paying for merchandise. The suspect entered a vehicle and fled the area prior to officers arriving. This investigation is continuing.

Residential BurglaryNovember 15 at 12:02 p.m., a resident in the 100 block of E. Cherry arrived home and discovered someone had burglarized her home sometime in the morning. The suspects gained entry into the home through an unlocked window and ransacked the home. This investigation is continuing.

ShopliftingNovember 15 at 1:57 p.m., an employee of a store in the 500 block of W. Huntington reported shoplifting incident. A male subject had just fled the store with over $800 worth of merchandise and did not pay. He entered a vehicle and fled the area prior to officers arriving. This investigation is continuing.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect ArrestedNovember 15 at 11:52 p.m., an officer was patrolling the 100 block of W. Duarte when he saw a motorist commit a driving violation. He stopped the vehicle and found the driver to be intoxicated. After field sobriety tests were conducted, the driver was arrested for DUI.

Alcohol Offense – Suspect CitedNovember 16 at 1:48 p.m., an officer was on patrol in the 300 block of S. Primrose when he saw a subject drinking an alcoholic beverage in Library Park. He stopped the subject and issued a citation for the violation.

Public Intoxication / Warrant – Suspect ArrestedNovember 16 at 2:01 p.m., a caller reported a male subject in the 1700 block of S. Myrtle who appeared to be intoxicated and in need of assistance. Officers arrived and located the subject. He was heavily intoxicated and unable to care for his own safety, so he was arrested and taken into custody. A computer check revealed he had a warrant for his arrest as well.

Domestic ViolenceNovember 16 at 6:20 p.m., a female subject entered the police lobby to report she had been battered by her boyfriend the day before in the 600 block of E. Huntington. She was offered domestic violence services and an emergency restraining order. This investigation is continuing.

Vehicle BurglariesNovember 16 at 7:36 p.m., three callers reported their vehicles had been burglarized in the 900 block of W. Huntington. All three vehicles were burglarized around the same time. This investigation is continuing.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect ArrestedNovember 17 at 2:12 a.m., an officer was patrolling the 2600 block of S. Myrtle when he saw a motorist commit a driving violation. He stopped the vehicle and approached the driver, who was found to be intoxicated. After field sobriety tests were conducted, the driver was arrested for DUI.

Resisting and Obstructing a Police Officer – Suspect ArrestedNovember 17 at 6:39 a.m., several callers reported a bicyclist riding on the wrong side of the roadway in the 400 block of W. Foothill, intentionally attempting to hit motorists head-on. Officers arrived and stopped the bicyclist. He immediately took a fighting stance toward officers and refused to cooperate. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect ArrestedNovember 17 at 1:11 p.m., an officer was on patrol in the 1300 block of S. Mountain when he saw a motorist traveling along the wrong side of the roadway, swerving back and forth. The officer stopped the vehicle and approached the driver, who was found to be heavily intoxicated. After field sobriety tests were conducted, he was arrested for DUI.

Grand TheftNovember 17 at 3:25 p.m., an employee of a cell phone store in the 900 block of W. Huntington reported a grand theft. Two male suspects left the store with several new cell phones without paying for them. The cellphones taken were display phones. They fled in a vehicle that was waiting outside the store and was driven by a third male suspect. This investigation is continuing.

Vandalism / Resisting Arrest – Suspect ArrestedNovember 18 at 1:20 a.m., a caller reported a male subject spray painting graffiti on a wall in the 1600 block of S. Myrtle at the Monrovia Train Station. When officers arrived, the subject had fled the area. While the officers were searching for the suspect, one of the officers saw him spray painting another wall three blocks south of the Train Station. When the officer attempted to stop him, the suspect ran, but he was eventually apprehended. He had vandalized a total of 14 businesses and properties.

Possession of Methamphetamine – Suspect ArrestedNovember 18 at 8:27 a.m., a resident in the 100 block of Prospect reported a suspicious male subject looking into the windows of parked cars. Officers arrived and detained the subject. No vehicles were found to have been burglarized; however, the subject was found to be in possession of methamphetamine. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Counterfeiting – Suspect ArrestedNovember 18 at 4:39 p.m., an employee of a store in the 400 block of W. Huntington reported a male subject in the store attempting to purchase merchandise using a fake $100 U.S. bill. Officers arrived and detained the subject. During the investigation, three additional counterfeit bills were located in the subject’s vehicle. He was arrested and taken into custody. The Secret Service were notified.

Grand TheftNovember 19 at 7:51 a.m., a resident in the 100 block of Bob Street reported someone had stolen several gardening tools and construction equipment from his backyard sometime during the past couple days. This investigation is continuing.

Grand TheftNovember 19 at 9:28 a.m., two residents in the 300 block of Fowler and the 700 block of W. Foothill reported someone had taken the catalytic converters off their vehicles sometime during the night. This investigation is continuing.

Trespassing – Suspect ArrestedNovember 19 at 3:56 p.m., a resident in the 200 block of E. Lime reported her son was in her garage even though he was told to stay away from the property and has been arrested for trespassing in the past. Officers arrived and located the subject in the garage. He was arrested for trespassing.

Fraud – Suspect ArrestedNovember 19 at 9:06 p.m., an officer was patrolling the 1600 block of S. Mountain when an employee of a store stopped him. A female subject was inside the store attempting to purchase items with a fraudulent credit card. While the employee was reporting it to the officer, the subject exited the store and was immediately stopped by the officer. After investigation, she was arrested for fraud and taken into custody.

Vehicle BurglaryNovember 19 at 9:12 p.m., a resident in the 700 block of S. Shamrock reported her vehicle had been burglarized sometime during the day. The right front window had been shattered and the resident’s purse had been stolen. This investigation is continuing.

Residential BurglaryNovember 20 at 7:36 a.m., a resident in the 300 block of Bradbury arrived home and discovered their house had been burglarized and ransacked sometime during the night. Officers arrived to investigate and found a rear window had been pried open. This investigation is continuing.

Vehicle VandalismNovember 20 at 7:52 a.m., a resident in the 200 block of N. Encinitas walked outside and discovered someone had cut one of the tires on his vehicle letting the air out. This investigation is continuing.

Grand TheftNovember 20 at 8:14 a.m., an employee of a business in the 900 block of S. Primrose arrived to work and discovered someone had stolen catalytic converters from six of the company vehicles. All six vehicles were parked in front of the business in an unsecure parking lot. This investigation is continuing.

Petty TheftNovember 20 at 9:51 a.m., a resident in the 200 block of E. Los Angeles walked outside his home and discovered someone had stolen the tailgate off his pickup truck sometime during the night. This investigation is continuing.

Hit & Run Traffic CollisionNovember 20 at 1:48 p.m., a resident in the 300 block of W. Chestnut reported a motorist had just collided into his parked vehicle, then fled the area. Officers searched for the motorist, but were unable to locate him. This investigation is continuing.

Vehicle BurglaryNovember 20 at 3:39 p.m., a resident in the 600 block of W. Foothill walked outside their home and discovered someone had burglarized their parked vehicle. The window had been shattered to gain entry. This investigation is continuing.

Injury Traffic CollisionNovember 20 at 4:41 p.m., a caller reported two motorists had just collided into one another in the 500 block of W. Duarte. Officers responded to investigate. One of the motorists complained of pain and was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. The motorist at fault was issued a citation.

Hit & Run Traffic CollisionNovember 20 at 5:11 p.m., a caller reported two motorists had collided into one another in the 1400 block of S. Mountain. One of the motorists fled the area after the collision. Officers responded to the area, but were unable to locate the motorist who fled. This investigation is continuing.

FraudNovember 20 at 10:26 p.m., an employee of a store in the 1600 block of S. Mountain reported a customer had presented a fraudulent driver’s license while attempting to purchase an item using store credit. The employee refused to complete the transaction and called the police. The customer ran out of the store. An area search was conducted, but the suspect was not located. This investigation is continuing.

Vehicle VandalismNovember 21 at 11:40 a.m., a resident in the 100 block of W. Cypress walked outside their home and discovered their parked vehicle had a shattered window. It did not appear as if anyone entered the vehicle or took anything from inside. This investigation is continuing.

Petty TheftNovember 21 at 3:53 p.m., a resident in the 1200 block of Sherman discovered someone had entered her unlocked vehicle and took her purse, which was inside. The vehicle was parked in front of her house. This investigation is continuing.

Throwing Object at a Moving VehicleNovember 21 at 4:07 p.m., a caller reported a road-rage incident that had just occurred in the 100 block of S. Myrtle. The suspect drove alongside the caller and threw a large rock through her open window, striking her leg. The suspect fled the area and could not be located by officers. This investigation is continuing.

Driving Under the Influence / Hit & Run Traffic CollisionNovember 21 at 7:06 p.m., a resident in the 600 block of Royal Oaks reported a motorist had just collided into three parked vehicles and then fled the area. Officers responded and located the motorist still in the area. The driver was found to be under the influence of drugs. After field sobriety tests were conducted, she was arrested for DUI.

Hit & Run Traffic CollisionNovember 22 at 3:50 p.m., a hit and run traffic collision was reported in the 100 block of S. Fifth. The victim parked his rental vehicle on the street, and when he returned to the vehicle, he noticed traffic collision damage to the side of the vehicle, indicating it had been side-swiped sometime during the night.

Warrant – Suspect ArrestedNovember 23 at 2:59 a.m., an officer observed a traffic violation in the 800 block of W. Foothill and stopped the vehicle. A computer check revealed the female driver was listed as armed and dangerous with a no-bail warrant out of Sacramento. The warrant was confirmed and the female was arrested without incident.

Had Thanksgiving dinner at home, but the feast was from Mimi’s, at Huntington and Mayflower. We got a meal for 8 to 10 people for $104.99. A whole turkey, gravy, stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, cranberry apple relish, two carrot nut loaves and a pumpkin and a pecan pie. Excellent. Turkey nice and moist.

~ All City facilities will be closed this coming Thursday and Friday, Nov. 22-23. Thanksgiving.

~ Monrovia firefighters have been helping fight the Woolsey Fire in LA / Ventura County, and the Camp Fire in Butte County. Last week, two Monrovia teams returned safely from battling the Woolsey Fire for seven days. And now - for the Camp Fire - Monrovia has sent Captain Brannigan Scott, Engineer Jake Clemens, and Firefighter/Paramedic John Claypool as part of Urban Search and Rescue Regional Task Force 4. They're working out of a base camp in Paradise.

~ The city is putting up wreaths and holiday banners along Myrtle - if you hadn't noticed, and during the next few weeks will be doing more, including adding tree lights.

~ There will be a retirement celebration in honor of Tina Wells, Senior Administrative Assistant, on Thursday, Nov. 29, after 18 years of service. In the Library Community Room, 4:30-6 p.m. RSVP to hsayers@ci.monrovia.ca.us

~ There will be a fundraiser for the Monrovia Police Department Explorers on Nov. 27, 4-8 p.m., at Cold Stone Creamery to raise money to support the program.

~ Bettie Mae Scott was honored Nov. 17 with a memorial plaque on the 500 block of West Maple as part the Neighborhood Treasures program. In World War II she was among the first women trained to fly American military aircraft. In July 1944, she was killed shortly after take-off while testing a newly repaired airplane.

Santa will arrive in Old Town at 10 a.m., so bring your family and friends and shop small this Black Friday!

Small Business Saturday, November 24

Small Business Saturday is a day dedicated to supporting small businesses across the country every year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. There will be drawings, music, and in-store specials all day long!

Days of Giving: Toy Drive on Myrtle Ave

Spread the joy this holiday season by participating in the Toy Drive on Myrtle Avenue!

Starting at 10 a.m. on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday, members of Monrovia's Fire and Rescue will be out on Myrtle Avenue to collect your toys, so stop on by and make a child happy today!

Holiday Sing Along in Old Town

We will be holding a Holiday Sing Along for carolers young and old, musically gifted and tone-deaf! All are welcome! Come for the tunes, and stroll along Myrtle afterwards for shopping and dessert!

The sing along will be taking place on the 400 block of Myrtle Avenue.

Friday, December 14, 8:15 p.m.

​Horse-Drawn Wagon Rides in Old Town on Thursdays & Sundays

Thursdays, December 13 & 20, 5:00 - 8:00 p.m.

Sundays, December 2, 9, & 16, 3:00 - 6:00 p.m.

​Free Kids' Crafts on Myrtle Avenue

Saturdays, December 15 & 22, 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Location: Old Town Monrovia on 400 block of Myrtle Avenue

Breakfasts with Santa in Old Town Monrovia – Every Saturday in December!

~ Consider an agreement with Mountainside Communion Church (corner of Magnolia and Colorado) for up to $30,000 to have the church develop a Monrovia Community Garden Pilot Program on the church's property. https://goo.gl/LKmzgz

~ Hold a study session at 6 p.m. to review state and local zoning and permitting regulations for sidewalk vending, micro-Enterprises, and standards for mobile vending and signage. https://goo.gl/ErnvnS

Monrovia Boy Scout Marcus Chamberlain has completed a video walking tour of six Monrovia buildings, with narration by Monrovia Historic Preservation Group board members. It's one of the requirements to earn his Eagle Scout award. View the videos here: https://goo.gl/pVw4Ga

Dinner at Cafe Mundial, on the east side of Myrtle about a half block north of Colorado. Got the seared Ahi for $24 and a beer for $7. That was a big Ahi steak!, and nicely cooked. Tasty. Very nice service as well.

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 388 service events, resulting in 83 investigations.

Shoplifting/Warrant – Suspect ArrestedNovember 8 at 2:14 p.m., an employee of a store in the 500 block of W. Huntington reported a male subject was shoplifting from their store. Officers responded and apprehended the subject outside the store holding the stolen merchandise. The property was returned to the store and the subject was arrested. A computer check revealed he also had a warrant for his arrest.

Public Intoxication – Suspect ArrestedNovember 9 at 2:22 a.m., an officer was patrolling the 400 block of W. Foothill when he saw a vehicle parked behind a business occupied by a male subject. He contacted the subject and found him to be heavily intoxicated and unable to care for his own safety. The subject was arrested and taken into custody.

Grand TheftNovember 9 at 7:38 a.m., a resident in the 200 block of N. Ivy walked outside his home to go to work and discovered someone had stolen the tailgate off his Toyota truck sometime during the night. At 10:55 a.m., another resident in the 300 block of N. Alta Vista discovered his Toyota truck tailgate had also been stolen. These investigations are continuing.

Injury Traffic CollisionNovember 9 at 12:50 p.m., a caller reported two motorists had collided into one another in the parking lot of a business in the 100 block of W. Foothill. Officers arrived and contacted the drivers. One of the drivers complained of feeling pain, but did not have visible injuries.

VandalismNovember 9 at 7:59 p.m., a resident in the 300 block of W. Palm was inside her house when she heard glass breaking outside. She walked outside and discovered someone had thrown a rock through her car window. This investigation is continuing.

Possession of Methamphetamine – Suspect ArrestedNovember 9 at 10:58 p.m., an officer was patrolling the 3300 block of S. Peck when he saw a male subject loitering around a closed business. He contacted the subject and found him to be in possession of methamphetamine and a pipe that had been used to smoke the substance. The subject was arrested and taken into custody.

Petty TheftNovember 10 at 1:22 a.m., a resident in the 700 block of W. Duarte left their leaf blower on their front lawn while they took other tools to their backyard. When they returned to the front yard, the leaf blower was gone. This investigation is continuing.

Traffic CollisionNovember 10 at 8:30 a.m., a motorist reported she had just collided with a small deer in the 200 block of W. Hillcrest after it ran in front of her car, unexpectedly. Officers responded, along with the Pasadena Humane Society. The Humane Society was not able to save the deer.

Petty Theft/FraudNovember 10 at 10:33 a.m., a customer of a grocery store in the 600 block of W. Huntington was finished shopping and discovered someone had stolen her wallet from her purse while it was in the shopping cart. She went home, unable to pay for her groceries, and was notified by her credit card company that someone had fraudulently used her card at a nearby store. This investigation is continuing.

Petty TheftNovember 10 at 6:51 p.m., a resident in the 200 block of W. Lime walked outside her home and noticed someone had taken her vehicle license plate. The plate was reported as stolen to the DMV. This investigation is continuing.

Violation of Restraining Order – Suspect ArrestedNovember 10 at 9:32 p.m., a resident in the 200 block of E. Lime reported there was a male subject in her front yard who had a restraining order against him to stay away from the house. Officers arrived and located the male, who was immediately arrested and taken into custody.

Public Intoxication/Warrant – Suspect ArrestedNovember 11 at 12:51 a.m., a resident in the 800 block of S. Magnolia reported a female subject attempted to enter his parked vehicle. Officers arrived and located the subject. She was found to be heavily intoxicated, did not know where she was and was unable to care for her own safety. A computer check revealed she also had a warrant for her arrest, so she was taken into custody.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect ArrestedNovember 11 at 1:43 a.m., an officer was patrolling the 300 block of W. Huntington when he saw a motorist in front of him swerving. The vehicle hit the center divider several times, so the officer stopped the vehicle. The driver was found to be heavily intoxicated. After field sobriety tests were conducted, the driver was arrested for DUI.

Attempt Commercial BurglaryNovember 11 at 2:57 p.m., the owner of a business in the 2600 block of California reported a female subject attempting to break into a neighboring business. As officers were responding, the caller attempted to detain the subject, but she broke away and ran. The caller saw a second suspect in a vehicle, which quickly drove away. Officers searched for the subjects, but were unable to locate them. This investigation is continuing.

Family Disturbance/Driving Under the Influence – Suspect ArrestedNovember 11 at 5:00 p.m., a resident in the 300 block of S. Fifth called for police assistance due to a family disturbance in his house. When officers arrived, one of the subjects, the caller’s wife, had already left the house. While the officers were speaking with the caller, the wife returned home in her car. Officers contacted her and found she was heavily intoxicated. After field sobriety tests were conducted, she was arrested for DUI.

Commercial BurglaryNovember 12 at 9:15 a.m., an employee of a preschool in the 1200 block of S. Magnolia arrived at work and discovered someone had burglarized the school sometime over the weekend. A laptop and a box containing cash were taken. This investigation is continuing.

Shoplifting/Battering a Police Officer – Suspect ArrestedNovember 12 at 10:08 a.m., security for a store in the 1600 block of S. Mountain reported a male and female subject left their store without paying for merchandise they had taken. Officers responded and apprehended the male subject near the store still holding the stolen property. The female subject was stopped by store security and an officer, but she refused to cooperate. She punched at the police officer before being handcuffed. Both subjects were taken into custody and the stolen property was returned to the store.

Possession of Methamphetamine – Suspect ArrestedNovember 12 at 11:48 p.m., an officer was patrolling the 500 block of W. Huntington when he saw a motorist commit a driving violation. The officer stopped the driver and found him to be in possession of methamphetamine, so he was arrested and taken into custody.

ShopliftingNovember 13 at 8:20 a.m., security for a store in the 1600 block of S. Mountain reported a male subject had just left with a power tool he did not pay for. As officers responded, the suspect entered a vehicle and drove away. Officers searched for the suspect, but could not locate him. This investigation is continuing.

Commercial BurglaryNovember 13 at 12:45 p.m., security for a store in the 700 block of E. Huntington reported they had just discovered that three male subjects had entered their store three days prior and had stolen $5,000 worth of men’s cologne. This investigation is continuing.

Trespassing – Suspect ArrestedNovember 13 at 2:19 p.m., a resident in the 1200 block of Sherman reported their daughter was on the property after having been warned several times to stay off the property. Officers responded and located the subject. She was taken into custody for trespassing.

Shoplifting – Suspect ArrestedNovember 13 at 4:19 p.m., security for a store in the 1600 block of S. Mountain reported a male subject had exited the store without paying for merchandise he had taken. Officers responded and located the subject outside the store holding the property. He was taken into custody and the property was returned to the store.

Public Intoxication – Suspect ArrestedNovember 14 at 2:30 a.m., a resident in the 700 block of E. Lime reported a male subject who was not wearing any pants was knocking on his front door. When officers arrived, they located the subject in the front yard of the home. The subject was intoxicated and unable to care for his own safety, so he was arrested and taken into custody.

Traffic CollisionNovember 14 at 7:42 a.m., a caller reported a solo motorist collided into four mailboxes while reversing in the 100 block of Hidden Valley. There was damage to the vehicle and the mailboxes. A citation was issued for the driving violation.

Petty TheftNovember 14 at 4:39 p.m., a resident in the 200 block of E. Colorado discovered a package that had just been delivered was stolen from her front porch. This investigation is continuing.

Petty TheftNovember 14 at 5:36 p.m., an employee of a restaurant in the 400 block of W. Huntington reported someone had stolen his bicycle from outside the business sometime during the day while he was inside working. This investigation is continuing.

Attempt Residential BurglaryNovember 14 at 6:49 p.m., a resident in the 200 block of S. Shamrock reported someone was attempting to break into their home through a bedroom window, which activated the house alarm. Officers arrived and found the bedroom window was forced open, however the suspect did not gain entry. Officers searched the area for the suspect, but could not locate him. This investigation is continuing.

~ Monrovia Police Department and Fire Department will face off in a charity basketball game to benefit the American Cancer Society. The game is on Friday, Nov. 30, at 6:30 p.m., at the Monrovia High School Basketball Gym. Tickets are $5 (children 12 and under free) and can be purchased at the Police and Fire Departments. Also, there will be grand prize drawing for a 65-inch TV.

~ Water and sewer rates are going up. If you have a typical single-family house your water rate will increase by $7.57 a month, to $65.28 a month, from $57.71 now. And, your sewer rate will increase by $0.24 a month, to $9.29 a month. from $9.05.

~ While the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation named our neighbor, Azusa as the Most Business Friendly City with a population under 50,000 (congrats, Azusa!), Monrovia was named - for the second year in a row - as one of five finalists.

~ Youth Services has set up a Letter Writing Station at the Library for boys and girls write a letter to Santa, a U.S. soldier, or a favorite book character. If the child includes a return address, Santa - or the book character - will write back (thanks to the postal and Youth Services staff). Letters to soldiers will be included in care packages to them. Letter supplies are at the Youth Reference Desk. For questions, call 256-8274. Letters must be completed and in the mailbox (on the Youth Reference Desk) by Saturday, Dec. 8.

~ During the next few months trees in city parkways north of Foothill will be trimmed, going from west to east. Questions? Call Public Works Division at 932-5575.

~ The Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony and Holiday Parade will take place Thursday, Dec. 6 at 6 p.m. with the Tree Lighting Ceremony in Library Park, followed by the Holiday Parade at 7 p.m. It will travel north on Myrtle from Chestnut to Palm.

~ The eighth Annual Festival of Trees event, to benefit the Boys and Girls Club of the Foothills, will be held on Saturday, Dec. 1, from 6 to 10 p.m. Details: http://foothillsfestivaloftrees.com/

At its next meeting (https://goo.gl/aYBPV9) the Monrovia Board of Education will consider installing wrought iron fencing at Bradoaks School, installed by Charlie's Fence Company, for $34,500. https://goo.gl/aJDDcz